A woman in relation to her child or children. She is a loving mother to her three children.
A female parent of an animal. The mother cat watched over her kittens carefully.
A woman who is the head of a religious community of women, such as a mother superior in a convent. The mother superior guided the nuns with wisdom and compassion.
An origin or source of something. Necessity is often called the mother of invention.
A title for an elderly woman, often used as a term of respect. The villagers referred to her as Mother Jones out of respect for her wisdom.
A gelatinous film of bacteria and yeast formed on the surface of fermenting liquids such as vinegar; mother of vinegar. She skimmed off the mother that had grown on the homemade cider vinegar.